Stole ex-partner's dog and said it loved him

The theft was just one of a number of offences admitted by Jamie Donnell Geddis, Ardress Road, Portadown.

He appeared in court by way of videolink from Maghaberry prison.

Geddis also admitted four assaults on police, attempted criminal damage to a door, resisting a constable, criminal damage to a fence and disorderly behaviour at Garland Court, Lurgan, on September 1 this year.

For each offence he was sentenced to three months in custody.

The court heard that at 8.15pm, Geddis arrived at the home of his ex-partner and knocked on the living room window.

She told him to go away or she would phone the police. Geddis said he wanted his jacket and she threw it out to him.

He had problems putting the jacket on before kicking the front door three or four times. Panels in a fence were damaged as well.

Geddis then took her pet Stafforshire bull terrier, throwing the dog over the fence.

He said: “I’m taking the dog. The dog loves me. She’s nothing but a f—king witch.”

When police arrived he was told to put the dog down and he then became aggressive with officers.

They tried to handcuff Geddis but he resisted and grabbed a constable by her hair. He spat at another officer and hit a constable on the head.

Police had to use CS spray to get him handcuffed but Geddis continued to struggle and spit at officers. He was shouting obscenities and the incident was observed by local residents.

When taken to the police station he spat at another officer.

During interview Geddis said he had no recollection because of his heavy alcohol consumption.

One officer noted there was a patch of her hair missing and she had a bump to her head and a cut on her hand.

Mr Conor Downey, representing the defendant, said Geddis had expressed remorse and accepted his behaviour was well below standard.

He added that the defendant’s previous convictions were all of a like nature and Geddis accepted the inevitability of what was going to happen to him.

District Judge, Mrs Bernie Kelly, said this was a very nasty incident.